DCTV membership is open to individuals and organizations outside our immediate region. Here are the steps to becoming a member and eligible to submit programs to the DCTV Channels from outside the area:

(1) MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

Complete a membership application, (download below) read the statement of compliance, sign it, and mail it to us along with clear photocopies of the ID and *separate* proof of home address documentation requested on the application. The individual membership fee is $30. You can mail a check or money order made out to “DCTV.”

DCTV

901 Newton Street, NE

Washington, DC 20017

(2) INTRODUCTION TO DCTV CERTIFICATION

To become eligible to submit programming, you must pass our Introduction to DCTV certification. Free classes are held at our facilities. To support members from outside the area in meeting this certification, we provide an online option. For a $50 testing fee, we will send you our Producer’s Policy Manual and administer an open-book test based on the Manual, via email. The $50 testing fee is additional to the membership fee. You can combine and submit the two fees at the time of your application, if you choose. 

Once we have received and processed your

we will then snail-mail the DCTV Producer's Policy manual and email the test questions to you. Click here for an explanation of the required ID and proof of home address documents.

(3) PROGRAM SUBMISSION PROCESS
The process for testing and certifying an out of area member can take a few weeks. Only after that process is complete will we receive your program submissions. The DCTV Producer’s Policy Manual Program will explain the program submission process further, but we wish to highlight a few policies and policy addenda in advance:

There is a fee for our staff to encode your programs into our server. We telecast from a digital server, and members in the local area have free access to do-it-yourself encoding stations here at DCTV (or they can also choose to pay our staff to do it.) For programs up to one hour in length, the fee is $45 for non-DC residents. An additional $15 applies to each additional hour of the program’s running time.
 
A completed DCTV Program Submission form must accompany all submitted shows. The Program Submission form will soon be available for completion online! For now, a blank hard copy will be mailed with your Producers’ Policy manual, so you can make copies.
 
Submitted programs and accompanying Program Submission forms must be received at DCTV before the first of the month prior to when you want the program to air. For example, submissions received before December 1 will be considered for our January telecast schedule.
 
Programs are accepted on Memorex DVD+R or Maxell DVD-R. Please note that submitted DVDs should not have any menus or chapters. There should be only the following elements, in the order listed:

If you want to include underwriters in the credits, there are very specific guidelines explained in the Producers’ Policy Manual to follow.
 
Please label the DVD with your name, telephone number, program title, program recording date and total running time to the nearest second.

(4) DCTV PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE & NEWS

There are two easy ways to find out when your program is scheduled to be telecast. As a member, you will receive the DCTV Blip and a link to the latest programming schedules, via email each month. You can also check our website at www.dctvonline.tv for the most up-to-date DCTV programming schedules.

Thank you for your membership interest in DCTV!

Membership application